Common name:Sweet Acacia
Botanical name:Acacia farnesiana
Large thorny shrub or small tree has a soft texture as a result of its finely divided leaves. Bright yellow flowers have a light, sweet fragrance. Bloom is heaviest in the spring and may continue intermittently throughout summer and fall. Evergreen in mild winters. Branches are armed with paired spines to 2". Flowering can be impaired by cold.
Common name:Chuparosa
Botanical name:Justicia californica
Sprawling shrub grows to 4' x 4'. Moderate growth rate. Usually leafless. Succulent green stems, small orange to red tubular flowers. Full sun. Quite drought resistant but grows faster with some supplemental water. Attracts hummingbirds. Native to the Sonoran Desert.
Photographer: GardenSoft
Practice grass-cycling by leaving short grass clippings on lawns after mowing, so that nutrients and organic matter are returned to the soil.
Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.
Develop healthy soil for plants that are vigorous and naturally pest-resistant.
